n.y.c

I went to Paris last spring and all the cars were tiny. I think the French are on to something. If I were to have a car in New York it would be small. Very small. And it would have wings to fly over traffic jams. I never thought I would enjoy not having a car, but it has been fun (most days) to learn to rely on the pleasures of public transportation. I think that thanks to public transportation, people seem to think that there is a larger percentage of crazy people in New York than in other smaller cities. I think there are simply more opportunites to notice them in NYC. You can't help but notice the guy talking to his invisible friend when he is sitting right next to you on the subway. It is not unusual to encounter someone screaming and yelling on the street for no apparent reason other than to cause a scene. The subways certainly offer a diverse slice of human beings to observe, probably because it is always so ridiculously crowded! Some of these people are very smelly. Some like to stare. Some sweat profusely, no matter the temperature. Some need to wear more clothing. We have learned to put ourselves in protective pseudo-bubbles. Ipods are definitely key, especially when the guy next to you decides that he needs to express (aka scream) his religious/political/social views to all 100 people in the subway car. There are positive things about the subway though. I've seen 10 year old breakdancers who do backflips on down a train that is winding through bumpy tunnels at 30 mph. l have learned to love subway music. I love the performers that dance in the stations. I loved the vocal quartet we heard on the J train. The pianist I heard at the 72nd street stations could have won "America's Got Talent" hands down. I love the breakdancers at 42nd Street & the guy who plays some sort of crazy lap violin within Grand Central Terminal. I love the guys who beat on whatever makeshift drums they can get their hands on. This all being said... At times- especially during weeks like this when it is 100 degrees outside and 115 in the subway stations- I wish I had a car. A very small car. With air conditioning and a great parking spot.

There are days when I become very aware that I am at least a 5 1/2 hour flight away from any direct Hudson relative. It was strangely comforting when I encountered Hudson Street during one of my initial explorations of Tribeca.

Every once in a while we are reminded that New York City is not completely devoid of natural beauty. The views of the sunsets are absolutely beautiful from our balcony. We have even learned that if we go to Battery Park (by the water, just a few blocks from our apartment) & lie down on our backs, we can see stars! We have also learned that this results in bug bites. Sigh.